Poland is one of Europe's largest crewing centres. Dozens of agencies in Gdynia, Gdańsk and Szczecin recruit seafarers for merchant, offshore and passenger ships. Most are honest — but it pays to know how to check an agency before you send it your documents.
Two documents a Polish agency must have
To place seafarers on ships, an agency in Poland needs two things:
- An entry in KRAZ, the national register of employment agencies (kraz.praca.gov.pl).
- A document from the director of the maritime office allowing it to place seafarers on ships (Act on Maritime Work, art. 18). It is issued after an audit of compliance with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006), is valid for a fixed period and is renewed after another audit. Maritime offices publish lists of these agencies.
A KRAZ entry alone is not enough: without the maritime office document, an agency should not be placing seafarers on ships.
The agency does not charge the seafarer
This is an MLC 2006 rule: recruitment and placement must be free for the seafarer. The shipowner pays the agency. Anyone asking for a fee for "a place on a ship", "registration" or "speeding things up" is a reason to walk away. Courses and medicals are paid to a training centre or a clinic — never to the agency.
Agencies you will find in Poland
The market has both offices of large ship managers and independent agencies. In Szczecin and the Tricity, for example, you will find Polaris Maritime Services, Hartmann Crew Consultants, Wilhelmsen Marine Personnel, Morska Agencja Gdynia, Clyde Marine Recruitment Poland and Transport & Offshore Services Poland (TOS). This is a list of examples, not a ranking — check every agency as described above.
How to choose
- Fleet and vessel type — an agency working with bulk carriers will not build your gas-carrier career.
- A clear contract — pay, contract length, rotation, insurance, travel costs.
- Other seafarers' experience — forums, colleagues from previous contracts.
- Communication — a good agency answers precisely and does not push for a quick decision.
How to apply
Prepare an English CV with full sea service and certificates — you can build it from your profile. Current offers from Polish agencies are on the maritime jobs in Poland page, and the whole board is under vacancies.
Legal points describe the situation in October 2026. Before signing, check the agency's current entries in KRAZ and on the maritime office's website.